Dry dock



Feb. 15,1921. I 11,990

I w. T. DONNELLY I n DRY DOCK Filed May 7, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet l [Wham ifionnelgy Feb. 15, 1927. 7,990

"w. T. DONNELLY DRY DOCK Filed May 17. 1922 4 Sheefis-Shet 5 T anvwwtoz William TDmne/Z I r v 1617,990 Feb. 15,1927. .WTDONNELLY 1m DOCK Filed M ay U, 1922 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mlliam TDonnell Patented Feb; 15 1927.

WILLIAM 'I. no v'lvnLLY, 0F BROOKLYN, Yon

'r ties.

j DRY nooK;

Application filed May 17,

The invention relates to dry docks, especially floating dry docks; and more particularly .to a method for properly guiding,

centering and shoring ships therein, as well as righting same, and to novel means for adjusting and shoring the ships.

Heretofore, the handling of ships in dry docks has been altogether too much in the hands of so called practical men who are expected to use their judgment in the dockingof a ship. The invention has for its object to provide a scientific method and an engineering device therefor which can be operated with certainty, eliminating thereby the personal equation and all hazard as to results. The arrangement is such, moreover, that the point of resistance to meet the turning moment, due to unbalanced load, is very much better located and much further from'the point about which the vessel turns,'that is, thecenter line of the keel. By the improved means, furthermore, the clocking of a ship may be accomplished in minimum time as the usual measurements and extreme care heretofore required in the operation of centering the vessel in the dock are obviated. Moreover, the throwing oi greater weight on someof the bilge blocks does not occur, andrthe entire operation of locatin the vessel is directly under observation. K further object of the invention con sists in means for accommodating or taking up irregularities in the contour of the ship through the improved shoring mechanism, and which is not feasible by the means now generally employed.

In the usual type of floatin dry docks, no means are provided for sighting in the locating of the vessel within the dock; and the centering of same therein is a rather difficult operation in consequence. Vith the improved means herein set forth, not only may a vessel be more quickly and safely guided and readily center-ed and shored in the dock; but'the same may also be accomplished with a vessel having a considerable list or rake. or both. Under such conditions, the dock is first correspondingly listed or raked, and the vessel then rigidly fixed to or united with the dock, whereupon the list of the dock is taken out, or its longitudinal inclination corrected, and the ship 7 screws or other devices. a Heretofore, iufthc 192a. Serial No. 561.700.

use of floating dry docks, no means were provided to shore the vessel, but there was pulled into position, while the vessel is still float-ing andresting on the keel blocks, suitable bilge blocks to support the hull.

In the present'construction, the docking of a vessel is accomplished thru the use of horizontal guide members, one along each side of the dock and adjustable tO COIlG- spond to the-beam of the ship. The final centering is accomplished bysuitable wedges which are dropped to a predetermined distance on the one. side, after the guide member has been moved outwardly the proper amount, whereupon the other guide member is brought up and its Wedges'driven home. i

The guide members are arranged to have a fixed and a movable pivot-ed connection with the side of the dock, the movable connection being arranged to be drawn along the dock as by a cable or the like having a few turns over a. rotatable drum member. Moreover, the wedges are preferably provided with suitable guides, the latter restin upon the centering guide members and eing pro,- vided with a cleat and rope whereby the cooperating wedge may be adjusted.

.Graduated poles or the like may be provided, moreover, the-poles serving when the ship is in position over the keel blocks to indicate the proper inclination of the dock thru correspondence with a bulwark or rail of each side, of the ship, both fore'and aft. Thereby the dock and 'ship' may be inclined exactly alike or to the same degreeso-as to take any possible wind or spring out of the dock due to unequal pumping. The graduated poles, furthermore. mayserve also to indicate when the ship touch-es the keel blocks and, at the same time, to: measure accurately her draft.

Inthe accompanying drawings which il- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end View of the 7 dry dock and centering and shoringmeans. Fig. 3 is a detail fragmentary elevation of a plurality of wedges and guides therefor,

together with a portion of the corresponding centering and 'shori'ngm'ember. F 1g. 4 1s a side elevation thereof.

Figs. 5 and 6 arediagrammatic views il- 7 lustratin g the menu er, of ,dockin g a. s'bi p with list; and Figs. 7 and 8 similar views illustrating the manner of docking a ship haveration of docking, the dry dock is sunk and the ship 12 floated therein in. the usual man ner, the centering and shoring mechanism at one side of the dock having in the meantime been projected toward the center line of the dock apredetermined amount corre' sponding to thebeam of the ship, as shown in Fig. 1, the corresponding mechanism at the other side of the dock, however, remaining in its normal position close alongthe one side 11.

The shoring mechanism is shown more particularly in Fig. 2, as supporting the ship horizontally near the upper portion of its hull; and consists of a plurality of channels 15 arranged one above the other in horizontal planes running longitudinally of the dock. These channels are pivctally attached, as by a pin 16, to the outer ends of sets of two braces 17. 'The other ends of these braces of each set areso arranged that one has a fixed and pivotal connection withthe side of the dock, as at 18, while the other has a movable and pivotal connection thereto or rather upon a guide 19 thereof. A con tinuous cable 20 may be attached to the various movable braces of each set and passed over a rotatable drum member or'winch 21 mounted on the dock which drum is adapted to be rotated by suitable means (not shown). In this manner, by correspondingly rotating the drum 21, the freely movable braces will be movedlongitudinally along the guide 19 and will thereby draw inwardly or extend outwardly the shoring mechanism to suit the particular beam of vessel to be docked.

. Struts 22 are provided, moreover, to support the channels 15, one being arranged under each of the fixed and p votally connected braces and to swing with same, asin being pivoted to the lower portion of the side 11.

It will be appreciated, although the shoring 'll'lQCllElDlSlD heretofore described forms a horizontal support for the ship 12, that as the latter will possess various irregularities of contour it may, therefore,'not receive the firm support required at the various points. To this end, the members 15 are recessed as indicated to provide seats 25. upon which are seated upon a shoulder 27 at the back there of, guide or backing members 26. The outer face '28 of a member 26 is inclinedand is designed to receive a suitable wedge 29 which tance to conform to the beam of the ship,

the wedges 29 are lowered a predetermined distance so that they substantially contact with the side of the vessel. 7 Thereupon, the

shoring mechanism of the opposite sideof the dock is extended until it is in substantial engagementwith the side'of. the vessel, whereupon its wedges are lowered and driven home, together with the wedges of the opposite shoring member, to securely hold the ship between the two shoring members.

The, ship will then be exactly over the keel blocks 33 and in position forv having the dock lifted Free access, moreover, is had to the bottom of the vessel in that ample room is afforded beneath the horizontally disposed shoring members, no bilge blocks being required. 5 g a In docking a ship with list or rake,.or both, reference being had more particularly to Figs. 5 to 8, the dock is first lowered on even keel and the ship introduced andguided at or slightly above the water line as hcrcinbefore set forth, although not finally shored. This will effect a centering of the ship substantially at the water line; but at its most important portion, viz, the keelline, the ship is not properly located in the case of alist. The dock is then listed or raked to correspond with the list and rake of the ship, which is accurately centered but not wedged. This brings-the keel directly over the center line of the blocking 33 and substantially parallel thereto, and the dock is further pumped, causes said keel to rest firmly thereon, after which the wedges are dropped and forced home to firmly unite the ship and dock. The two are then handled as one structure. The listing and raking of the dock may be effected as,.for 6X- ample, with docks of the character set forth in my prior U. S. Letters Patent No. 849,378,

in which a plurality of pontoons carry side 77 wings, pumping means being provided to bring into effect the pos tive control of both lateral and longitudinal stability. .Thership being both centered and shored and with keel in position upon the keel blocks the dock with ship united thereto isrighted; and both are raised as a single structure, the ship being lifted out of the water on even keel. V

In. conforming the dock to the ship'as aforesaid, adjustable standards or graduated poles 35, with lateral arms 36, are employed;

and are located at either'side of the dock,'or

rather the platform 32 thereof, and both fore and aft so as to cooperate witlrsome common horizontal member or other sultable part of the ship, such as'bulwark or rail, to

indicate the, proper inclination to be given the dock. In this manner, also it may be readily determined when the ship touches the keel blocks, andthe comparison or markings on the poles may serve to measure accurately the draft of the ship at this time. The me- 'chanically adjustable members thus provided, and including the laterally movable shoring members, afl'ord ready means for accurately bringing the ship and dock into predetermined relation with each other in all directions.

Iclaim:

1. In a floating dry dock: a pair of cooperating, horizontal and longitudinally extending guiding, centering and shoring members disposed longitudinally of the dock upon opposite sides thereof, and means to move independently each of said horizontal members toward each other.

' 2. In a floating dry dock: a pair of co operating, horizontal and longitudinally extending centering and shoring members disposed longitudinally of the dock upon opposite sides thereof, means to move independently each of said horizontal members toward each other, and wedging members carried by the said horizontal members.

3. In a floating dry dock: a pair of cooperating, horizontal centering and shoring members disposed longitudinally of the dock upon opposite sides thereof, means to move independently each of said horizontal members toward each other, and adjustable wedging members carried by the horizontal members. i

4. In a floating dry dock: a pair of cooperating,- horizontal centering and shoring members disposed longitudinally of the dock upon opposite sides thereof, means to move independently each of said horizontal members toward each other, and vertically adjustable wedging memberscarried by the horizontal members. 7

5. In a floating dry dock: a pair of cooperating, horizontal centering and shoring members disposed longitudinally of the dock upon opposite sides thereof, means to move independently each ofsaid horizontal members toward each other, backingor guide members supported by the horizontal members, and \r'edging members slidable vertioally thereon and adjustably secured thereto;

6. In a floating dry dock: a pair of cooperating, horizontal centering and shoring members disposed longitudinally of the dock upon opposite sides thereof, means to move independently each of each horizontal members toward each other, backing or guide ,members supported by the horizontal mem bers, wedging members slidable vertically thereon, cleats mounted on the backing members, and ropes carried over same and atbers toward each other, backing or guide members supported in the seats of the horizontal member, and wedging members slidable vertically thereon and adustably secured thereto. V 8. In a floating dry dock: a pair of 00- operating, horizontal members disposed longitudinally ofthe dock upon opposite sides thereof and providing seats, means to move independently each of said horizontal members toward each other, backing or guide membershaving an inclined outer face and a shoulder at the back, the shoulder fitting a seat of the horizontal members, and Wedging members slidable vertically over theinclined outer face of the backing or guide members and adjustably secured thereto.

9.,In a'floating dry dock: a pair of cooperating horizontal centering and shoring members disposed longitudinally of the dock upon opposite sides thereof, means to move independently each of said horizontal members toward each other, and graduated poles carried by the shoring members in proX- imity to a ship to be docked between same to cooperate with a part of the ship for loeating the latter in a predetermined position between the said shoring members.

10. In a floatingdry dock: a pair of cooperating, horizontal centering and shoring members disposed longitudinally of thedock,

upon opposite sides thereof, means to move.

adjustable therein and having arms adapted j to extend over a ship in the dock.

12. In a floating dry dock: a plurality of graduated members carried by the dock, and adjustable means to mechanically move independently each ofsaid graduated members relatively to the dock to bring a said member in close proximity to a ship therein to cooperate with a part thereof for accurately bringing ship and dock in predetermined relationship with each other.

VILLIAM T. DONNELLY. 

